Chapter 11: New Found Power

            I hang from the wall, motionless, hungry, deprived of sunlight, waiting for Dante to arrive to once again save me from my underworld hell.

            I opened my eyes now, straining in the darkness for any type of movement.  Nope, nothing, I thought to myself.

            I was still unable to speak or move, bound to a large plank of wood which was hung from the ceiling by some type of chain.  I began fussing again, moving my arms and legs in the little motions I could muster out of them.  Large shackles kept my ankles and wrists in place but I could feel the bolts holding them in place start to move the more I stirred.

            I looked around, up at my hands and down at my feet, trying to make myself grow in strength.  I was utterly claustrophobic and the thought of not being able to move or speak burned in my mind.

            I started breathing harder now, gaining more and more frustration from my situation and the place I was in.

            Goddamned Vincent!  Why is he doing this to me?  What does he want from me?

            But more importantly-why did the windows break when I cried?

            I just started to realize, something happened to me.

            I stopped struggling and focused on the shackles, putting my entire mind into the bolts holding them down.

            They began to unscrew themselves.  They turned until one after the other fell to the ground below me.  I looked up at my freed hand in shock and amazement.

            My mind clouded as I looked around, forehead creased with surprise.

            My left hand was free now, letting me rip the tape from my sore mouth.  I winced in pain as I could feel the tiny hairs on my upper lip being ripped out, slowly at first, and then I quickened the pace to get it over with.  I closed my mouth, muffling my screams of pain and my eyes burned with tears.

            I was able to talk now, but I still had to free my right hand and my ankles.  I began concentrating again on the screws of the shackle that bound my left ankle.  Again, one after another, they fell to the ground with a tinkling sound.  Only two more, I told myself.

            After freeing my right hand, I began to feel terribly light-headed.  My head swam with dizziness and I decided now was time to take a short break.  I was now three-quarters of the way free and that was enough of an accomplishment for now.

 

            But, before I could unscrew the remaining metal from my binds, I heard soft footsteps leading my way.

            I began to panic again, he’s going to bind me back up, he’s going to kill me, I’m dead, I can’t believe this is happening again.

            “Victoria?”  A man whispered, about ten feet in front of me.  The room was pitch black and I couldn’t see two feet in front of me, let alone ten.

            Hesitantly, I answered, “Who is it?”

            “It’s me, Dante.”

            Relief found its way into my mind and rushed through my body as I let out a large sigh.  “Thank goodness, I thought you’d never come!”  I whispered back, my voice hoarse from screaming.

            Dante walked closer now until he was right in front of my face.  I saw only his eyes as they sparkled in any type of light, even the nonexistent kind.  I saw his eyes widen as he stared at the state I was in.  “Oh my Lord, what the hell happened?  I knew Vincent would do this when I left, I knew it, why didn’t I stay,” he talked to himself as he grabbed the last screws from my binds and tore them out himself.

            “I’m just glad you’re here now, I mean, nothing really happened other than the fact that I was constrained and unable to move for about a day, no big gee, I’ve had worse.”

            Dante lifted my sore body from the wood now, cradling me in his arms for a long moment.  “It seems as though every time I leave, something terrible happens to you, my love.  Never again, this I promise you.”

            I buried my head in his chest now, sobbing lightly as my warm tears slid down my cheeks.  “I’m fine, really.”

            “Let’s get you home, everything is okay now.”

 

            I was too tired to even think of asking questions.  All I could think was I needed to rest, my mind was yelling at me to lie down and just die.  The effects of this afternoon had certainly taken a toll on my body and mind so now it was time for sleep.

            Dante held me in his arms now, whispering in my ear if it was okay for him to transport us home.  I nodded my head lightly and felt that similar gust of wind I’d felt when the object of my terror had taken me captive.

 

            I woke in a familiar house.  I had slept completely normal considering what had happened.  It must have been the overwhelming emotion and aftermath of the previous day that had taken hold of my body and thrown me into one of the deepest sleeps I’d ever experienced.

            I opened my eyes, finding the angel in front of me, as I had every other morning.  He smiled as I tossed and turned, feeling sore and used.

            “Are you okay?”  He finally asked as I looked at my swollen, red wrists, shaking my head.

            “I’m fine, just a little sore.”

            Dante moved quickly to my side now, grabbing me tightly with his strong arms, acting as though I would float away if not in his grasp.

            “I’m never leaving you again.”

            “I know,” I said into his chest, burying my head in as deep as I could get.  My mind spun when I inhaled the sweet smell of his cologne.  I was usually allergic to these types of scents, but he knew the perfect way around everything.

            “Victoria, I love you so much and if you don’t want to talk about what happened, you don’t have to…but just know that I am here and I will never leave ever again.  I want you to confide in me, things have changed, I don’t think Vincent will be bothering us much anymore.”

            I stretched my head up now, looking into his eyes, creasing my forehead.  “What are you talking about?  Did you kill him?”

            Dante began shaking his head, closing his eyes slowly.  “No, no, I didn’t kill him.  But curious enough, he wasn’t even there when I showed up…come to think of it, no one was.  When I came home and you weren’t here,” he took my face into his hands gently now, looking into my eyes with fierce yet care, “I knew where you were, there was no other place you could be than with…him.

            I braced myself for battle although for some reason, I had a feeling it wouldn’t be happening.  I arrived at Vincent’s mansion and strode right through the front door, ready for anything to come my way.  Yet, there was nothing.  There was no one, just an empty house.

            I listened carefully for any movement, crouching in the darkness that engulfed me.  And then I heard you, I heard your sobs and your muffling screams.  I could never forget the sound.  It was the sound you made when I found you in your attic, alone and afraid.  I ran to the door and opened it quickly yet quietly as to make sure no one would hear if anyone was there other than you.

            I saw you hanging there, tied to a board in the middle of the large room, broken glass surrounding you.  I couldn’t understand why you were there completely alone but from the looks of it, something terrible happened.”

            I stared at him, scouting my mind for the right words to say.  I tried to speak but when I tried, my voice escaped me and I buried my head in his chest once again, crying as hard as my body would let me.

            Tears strode down my red cheeks as I looked up at my angel’s face again.  “I was so scared, I thought you’d never come.”

            Dante grabbed me again, hugging me tighter this time.  “I’m so sorry, my love, I came as quickly as I could, I hope you’re not angry with me.”

            “I could never be angry with you.  I just don’t understand why all of this is happening, what did I do to deserve this?  Can’t I just love a vampire in peace?  Dante, my mind took me over.  My mind.”

            Dante looked at me in confusion now, wrinkling his forehead.  “What are you talking about?  Did you do that with your mind?”

            “Yes!  Vincent was saying all of this nonsense and I became very angry and upset and before I knew it, the candles blew out, the windows broke, and he ran away screaming and saying ‘it can’t be, it can’t be’.  What is going on Dante?”

            His eyes grew as wide as they could and an unrecognizable word escaped his perfect lips, “Darkling.”